Internal combustion engines generate power by igniting a mixture of fuel and air. In order to get the most power from the fuel, that is, for the most efficient operation, many factors involved in the combustion process must be optimized. These factors include the shapes of both the intake port and the combustion chamber, which determines the flow path of the intake charge before and after it enters the combustion. The manner in which the intake charge flows will affect speed of combustion and the percentage of the charge that is ignited during combustion.
Much research has gone into finding ways to increase engine efficiency by varying the shape of these features. Resulting improvements in combustion efficiency have yielded many benefits including cleaner exhaust emissions, improved fuel economy, lower engine running temperatures, increased torque, and increased horsepower.
There is clearly still a need for further improvements. For example, air pollution continues to be a serious problem, so it is desirable to continue to lessen harmful exhaust emissions. Improving fuel economy is important, particularly in achieving the goal of reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. Thus, it would be desirable to provide additional improvements in combustion efficiency by developing further improvements in intake port and combustion chamber design.